LASHMA holds 2025 Q1 healthcare providers forum, targets improved service delivery
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Lagos State Chapter, have announced plans to establish a joint task force aimed at fostering a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos.
The collaboration was the key outcome of a recent courtesy visit by EHOAN officials to LAWMA’s headquarters at Ijora Olopa.
LAWMA’s Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, described the partnership as timely and crucial. “Environmental health officers are the cornerstone of our operations at LAWMA. We both play a critical role in safeguarding public health,” he remarked.
Gbadegesin also outlined ongoing reforms within the Authority, including the decommissioning of existing landfills to pave the way for transfer loading stations. He noted that waste disposal operations would be relocated to the Epe and Ikorodu landfills.
He further disclosed plans to establish material recovery facilities in each local government area and highlighted that enforcement had been stepped up in markets, with 13 markets recently shut down due to environmental violations.
Discussing the role of data in waste management, Gbadegesin said, “We already have a Waste Management Research and Policy Development Department, and we are committed to training more health officers. It’s essential that we revive the consciousness of responsible waste disposal, like we did in the past.”
President of the Lagos EHOAN Chapter, Dr. Cyril Akinyele Babasope, expressed the association’s eagerness to support a new, action-driven approach to waste and environmental health.
“We are not only guardians of public health but also the link between statutory regulations and the communities we serve. By collaborating, we can form task forces to identify issues and implement sustainable solutions,” he said.
Babasope further underscored the importance of capacity building and data collection to improve surveillance, early detection, and rapid responses to environmental hazards. He also raised concerns about the growing problem of indiscriminate refuse dumping on road medians and public spaces, urging for more environmental health officers to enhance enforcement efforts.
Dr. Samuel Akinbodunrin Akingbeyin, National President of EHOAN, commended LAWMA’s achievements but stressed that more work is needed.
“LAWMA deserves praise for managing waste for over 25 million people, a significant undertaking. However, we need reliable data to make our work even more effective,” he said.
The meeting was attended by key LAWMA officials, including the Executive Director of Finance, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, as well as senior leaders from EHOAN.